§ 33-10-118 — Division to study access to state parks

Colorado § 33-10-118

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 33: Parks and
• Art.: Parks and Outdoor Recreation

Text

(1) The division shall
collaborate with local governments to identify:

(a) Deficits or potential deficits with local transportation infrastructure and
services used by visitors to access state parks; and

(b) Sources of funding and partnerships to address the deficits or potential
deficits described in subsection (1)(a) of this section.

(2) In studying the issues described in subsection (1) of this section, the
division shall consider:

(a) The use of and effect on local transportation infrastructure and services
of visitors traveling to and from state parks;

(b) Infrastructure costs incurred by local governments in supporting the
state in managing state parks and the appropriateness of the division or other
persons, including users, to help support infrastructure funding;

(c) Economic and community benefits and negative effects of state parks on
local economies and the difference in benefits and effects incurred by counties and
municipalities;

(d) Existing local government revenue, including fees, assessments, and
taxes, and payments by the division in lieu of taxes that are available to:

(I) Develop and maintain transportation infrastructure; or

(II) Provide transportation services related to recreation;

(e) Methods of providing guidance to determine which local access routes
should be eligible for any identified funding;

(f) Past examples of issues with providing local transportation infrastructure
and services used to access state-managed recreational land and opportunities to
work with the division in addressing those issues both at the inception stage and
over the lifespan of the state park;

(g) Current resources available for and dedicated to a community's local
transportation infrastructure and services for a baseline of existing maintenance
budgets, new sources of funding or partnerships to assist in the maintenance of
local access routes to and from state parks, and the predictability and reliability of
the sources;

(h) The local government's financial demands of maintaining transportation
infrastructure and services needed to access state parks in relationship to the
financial demands of maintaining other local transportation infrastructure and
services within the local jurisdiction; and

(i) The effects of local transportation conditions on local access routes
serving state parks on the visitor experience.

(3) When performing the initial study required in subsection (2) of this
section, the division shall seek input from the department of transportation and the
department of local affairs before completing the study.

(4) The division shall complete the study described in this section and make
legislative recommendations to the general assembly by November 1, 2024. The
recommendations must include sources for funding or partnerships to assist in the
maintenance of local transportation infrastructure and services associated with
state parks.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2023: Entire section added, (SB 23-059), ch. 223, p. 1153, � 2, effective August 7.